Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

It is an unusual time as we all try to manage our quarantine time at home. I, for one, have been baking up a storm, and I do not usually even enjoy baking! Luckily my daughter and her family live just a mile down the road, so we run all my baking down to them and leave it in their garage. I know my grandkids appreciate the sweet treats, and my husband and I certainly can’t eat all of my baking!

My eldest grandson loves the combination of rhubarb and strawberries, and in fact, had me make rhubarb-strawberry crisp as his Birthday cake last year. My husband is the one who ventures out to do groceries once a week, and I send him off with my list. I had asked him to see if rhubarb had started to show up in our markets yet, and last week he brought me home a large bunch of fresh rhubarb. I decided to create a coffee cake, using both strawberries and rhubarb. This cake is very moist with the addition of a cream cheese layer, and it has a nice crumble-top, which is one quality I always enjoy in a coffee cake. This cake isn’t too sweet so you could enjoy a slice with your morning coffee, or enjoy it as dessert for dinner with a dollop of whipped cream.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2020

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour5 minutes

A moist coffee cake with a creamy cheese layer and a sweet jam layer nestled in a cake batter.

Ingredients

Filling:

1-1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Chopped Fresh Strawberries

1 Cup Chopped Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb

2 Tablespoons Water

Cream Cheese Layer:

1 Package (8 ounces) Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten

Cake Batter:

2 Cups All-purpose Flour

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Cold butter, Cubed

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Large Egg, At Room Temperature, Lightly Beaten

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Use a baking spray to coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan.

In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch and sugar; stir in strawberries, rhubarb and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until thickened, 6-8 minutes.

For filling, in a small bowl, using an electric hand mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then beat in egg until blended.

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly.

2 comments on “Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake”

My daughter and I made this recipe and it came out delicious. You mentioned making Rhubarb- Strawberry Crisp for your grandson in the introduction to the recipe. Would you be willing to share that recipe. We love the combination of Strawberry and Rhubarb.
Hope all is well.
Joy Montalbano